Hiring
How to Hire a Contractor in Cape Coral
How to check a license, read a quote properly, and recognize the payment terms that should give you pause.
Limited time offer 4 point home inspection or wind mitigation with any new roof See what is includedMost disputes between homeowners and contractors come down to two things: the license was never checked, and the scope was never written down. Both are fixable in an afternoon, before any money changes hands.
Check the license yourself
In Florida, contractors are licensed by the state, through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. You can look up a license number and see whether it is current and who holds it. Ask for the number, then check it — do not rely on a number printed on a van or a flyer. A contractor who is reluctant to give you one has answered your question.
Ask for proof of insurance, not a claim of it
You want to see that they carry liability insurance, and workers' compensation cover for the people who will be on your property. Ask for the certificate. If someone is injured on your roof and there is no cover, that becomes your problem.
Get a written scope, not just a price
A price on its own tells you almost nothing. The scope should say what is being removed, what is being installed, which materials, what is excluded, and what happens if something unexpected is found once work starts. Two quotes with the same number can describe very different jobs.
Be careful with money up front
A deposit is normal. A demand for most of the job in cash before anything starts is not. Payments tied to progress — a deposit, then stages as work is completed — protect both sides. Be wary of pressure to pay in cash, and keep a record of every payment.
Ask who is actually doing the work
Find out whether the crew is employed by the company or subcontracted, and who your point of contact is day to day. Neither answer is wrong. Not knowing is.
Look at more than one review source
Reviews on a company's own website are curated by definition. Look at Google, Yelp and the Better Business Bureau, and read the middling reviews rather than the best and worst — they tend to be the most honest about what it was actually like.
Permits are not optional
Structural work generally needs a permit and inspections. A contractor suggesting you skip the permit to save time is proposing that you own an unpermitted alteration, which surfaces when you try to sell or claim.
Everything here applies to us as much as anyone. Ask us for our license numbers, our insurance certificate and a written scope before you commit — CCC 1335152 and CRC 1334301.
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